I love to take an old piece of outdated furniture and give it a fresh start with just some paint and a paintbrush. It’s quite easy to do once you have done the hard part… choosing your color and design. Fortunately, the internet and bookstores are full of reference materials, so even that isn’t so hard after all!

What you will need:

Your old furniture piece

Medium to coarse grit sandpaper

Rags for wiping and staining

Oil based primer

Latex paint in satin or semi-gloss

Walnut furniture stain

Brushes for paints and stains

Acrylic artists paints and brushes if painting a design

Remove all hardware or cover with painters tape to prevent painting them (unless you want the painted look).

Lightly sand the piece to remove any glossy sheen on surface. Wipe clean.

Apply oil based primer and allow to dry.

Apply latex paint and allow to dry.

Scuff any areas with sandpaper that you would like to give a worn look (usually on edges and handles where there is natural wear).

Paint any decorative designs.

Apply stain and softly rub in and off as much aging as you would like.

Replace hardware… voila! A new look for your old furniture is within your reach!

"Within Your Reach" takes on the jellyfish!

I recently had the pleasure of watching a group of local glass artists at play. Like most experts, they made their work look effortless - like a dance with wands of molten glass. "Satava Art Glas"s http://www.satava.com/ is located at 819 Wall Street in down town Chico, California. The glass work is done 10 months of the year, from September through June, while it is cool enough to work with the 2,000 degree kilns. Their most famous series is the jellyfish. It is sold throughout the world, on line, in galleries and Aquariums and at the Wall Street studio.

Each of the four glass artists Rick Satava, Jim Radley, Mark Del Fava and Wyatt Campbell know the intricate sequence involved in the various jellyfish styles as well as the incredible array of vases that Satava has created over the years. They have worked together long enough to have developed a seamless partnership in each piece they make. The studio is open during the week to view the glass blowing and the team are more than happy to share the experience with you!

Rick Satava works in a creative oasis in the back of his studio store. While we were filming for our upcoming episode, he even allowed me to try my hand at turning the glass and at blowing a vase! Well, lets just say my jellyfish looked more like a doorknob and my vase ended up with a handle and finally cracked before being tempered in the cooling oven.If you have ever wondered what it is like to create with glass, it is well worth a visit to the bamboo garden glass studio that is "Satava Art Glass" in Chico. A wonderful way to spend a few hours and a great way to begin your art collection!Watch for this episode of "Within Your Reach" on KIXE in the Fall! Off to another adventure...within your reach!